Island



. R. W. NEWTON- .AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER. I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26.1919.

. 3 5 217 I PatenwdJune 29,1920.

I sign 1 1 5g 42 I L .1 a

INYEMTUE *KTIURNE Y:

UNITED STATES PA E T OFFICE.

ROBERT WILKINSON NEWTON, or-raovinnncn anonn 15m AUToMATIc SPRINKLER.

To. all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ROBERT ,WILKINSON NEWTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Provi dence and, State of Rhode Island, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Automatic Sprinklers, of-whichthe following is a specification.

My invention has reference to means for extinguishing fires, and 'more" particularly to an improvementin automatic sprinklers as used in automatic sprinkler systems; 7 The object of my invention is to improve the construction of automatic sprinklers,

whereby corrosion of the surface of the sprlnkler, COI'I'QSlOIl 1n the valve seat, and

sticking or cohesion of the releasing element, when in operation, are wholly eliminated;

Further objects of my invention are; to improve the construction, and the operation of automatic sprinklers, thereby more positively locking the sprinkler under normal j inoperative conditions, and more positively j unlocking orreleasing the sprinkler under I fire conditions. 'J My invention 0011818138111 having details of Construction, as =wi'll be .more fully set forth hereinafter and claimed.

Figure 1 is a sideview of my improved automatlc'sprinkler;

Fig. 2 1s a longitudinal sectional view through the sprinklerTtakenon line 2.2 of

Fig. 1-.

. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are top plan viewsof the deflector parts.

Fig. 6-isan enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 6.6 of Fig. '1', through the bent valve support and releasing-device,-and I Fig. 7 is an enlarged detaihtransverse sectional view taken online 7.7 of Fig. 1,

through the bent valve support and releasing device;

In the drawings 8 indicates thebody of an automatic sprinkler having the screwthreaded tubular shank 9, the yoke 10 and the arms 11.11 curving to the hub 12. A screw 13 is screw-threaded through the hub 12 and has the usual cone-shaped inner end 14 and square outerend 15. A'circular three part deflector 16 has an outer member 17 with curved peripheral slits 19.19, holes 20.20

. and 21.21, an intermediate member 22 having a circular cone-shaped rib 23 and holes 24.24, adapted to coincide with the holes t i-material 57 v Each hollow rod 38 is filled 7 he peculiar and novel construction of an automatic sprinkler,

curved peripheral fingers 18.18, I

Specificationcf Letters Patent Patented l lIiei29, 1 20. Applicationfiled 'se tembergze. 1919. serialmf 326,441. I

I 20.20, in the outer member 17 andan inner" dlsked member 25 having the semi-circular openings 26.26 and which screws adjustably I 60. The members 17 and 22 are secured in place on to a screw-threaded portion ofthe'hub1'2;

The inner end of the tubular shank 9 has I a circular recess 28 in which is adetachable valve seat 29', covered =with a non-corrosive material. 'A' round box shaped valve head 30 is constructed to'have a bottom in -wl1ich isa depression31, a cover 32, an interme;

diate spring 33,11 plate 34 with a raised'edge 35 and a washer36 against the valve seat 29, as shown in'Fig.2. 'The'plate34fand' washer 36 are covered with a non-corrosive Interposed between the inner" end 146i "is thes'crew 13 and the valve head 30 is a bent valve head support and releasing device 37,

consisting of two'hollowthrust rods 38.38,

end closing the ends "of the hollow rods each thrust rod 38 having ,acap 39 on each I with an exp'ansif ble fluid 40. w The caps 39.39 each haveflaf"-' central depression-'41, a depression 41 on'one ofthe outer caps fitting on to the end of the screw 13, a ball 42interposed betweenthe center caps in the depressions 41.41 in i theca'ps and aball'42 interposedbetween the I depression-in the other "end cap; and the 1 depression 31 in the valve head30.,- The hol-"- lowthrust rods 38.38 and center ball 42*are I held in place by a shoe- 43*and a plate '44 i shaped tojhold'the'thrustirods' and ball in place. The shoe 43 Shas, the flat s'i'de exten-- sions 45.45each having a lip 46] with an inner undercut portion 47 and angular pro-,

jecting portion 48. fThe platej44 has fflat" side extensions 49.49 shaped to fit over the .sideflextensiolils' swear ,the shoe,"it also" has angular projecting portion's'50.50 cone;

sponding to and in contact with the projec ing portions 48.48 on the shoe. Flat springs 51.51 are interposed between the shoe and plate which are riveted together by-fusible rivets 52.52through the shoe and plate and also through the angular projecting portions 48.48 and 50.50 on the shoe and plate. Wires 53.53 extendtransversely across the plate 44 as shown in Fig. 1 and the ends hook under the undercut portion 47 in the shoe, as shown in Fig. 7 and'wires 54.54 extend lengthwise of the plate 44 as shown in Fig.1 and the ends hook under the undercut portion 47 of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 6. The plate 4A is smaller than the shoe, thereby forming an edge trough 55 which is'filled with a'fusible metal 56 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, thereby fusibly securing the plate to'the shoe.

' The entire surface of the sprinkler frame fusible metal156 secures the shoe and plate together,at their outer edges, thereby leavingthe hollow thrust rods 38.38 free from fusible metal, also the fusible rivets. 52.52

' assist in securing the plateuto the shoe, as

sisted by the .wires 53.513 and 54.54;; the

- ex-pansible .fluid 40 in the tubular thrust in disintegrating the several parts of the rods 38.3 8, when expanded byheat, assists valve releasing device 37 the springs 51.51

assisting; the separate valve seat 29 may be plated with or formedvfroma non-corrosivematerial; the peculiar and novel con struction of the deflector 16 is suchathat by;

adjusting the inner member 25 onthe hub 12' and turning the intermediate member'22 on the screw 13,;the spray from thesprin kler may be made fine or coarse, andafter adjustment the parts maybe securedin the adjusted position by-tightening the nut 27, and corrosion .oft'he frame is prevented by coatingthe frame withv anon-corrosive material.

When in use'under fire conditions the-ex pansible fluid 410.40 in the hollow thrust rods expands under heat, the fusible metal- 56 and fusible rivets 52.52 melt and the pressure of the water on the'valve' head 30,- assisted by theex ansion of the fluid in the hollow thrust r0 stand the springs51.51,; will cause the valve head and all {ofthe parts of the valve; releasing device 37 to separate and fall out ofthe sprinkler and the water will pass unobstructed to the defiector 16 from which it is distributed in the form of a fine or coarse spray as re- 7 quired. ,In practice I find that this sprinklerwill stand a heavywater pressure withv 7 name to this; specification. outv leaking, it'is extremely sensitive in-op- I r eration, and the sprinkleriwill stand for a long time without corrosion of'the frame or arts. aving thus claim as. new.

described my invention I 1. In an automatic sprinkler, a valvesupporting and releasing device-consisting of a shoe, a plate over the shoe, hollow thrust rods in the shoe and held in place by the plate, an expansible material in the hollow the plate to the shoe.

V 2. In an automatic sprinkler, a valve supporting and releasing deviceconsisting of a shoe having undercut edge lips, a plate over the shoe, hollow thrust rojds winthe shoe and held in place bytheplate, wires extending across the plate under the lips on the shoe, an expansible material in the hollow securing the plateto the shoe;

3. In an automatic sprinker, a valve supporting and releasing device consisting of a shoe having undercut edge 1i s, a, plat'e over the sho -hollow. thrust rods 1n the shoe and held inplace'by the plate, wiresextending under the lips onlthe shoe', an expansible ble rivets securing the plate. to the shoe.

4;. In anautomatic sprinkler, a valve sup- 7 porting :and releasing device'c'onsistin'gof a shoe having undercut edge lips, afplateover the shoe and having edge lip's, ho llow v thrust rods in the shoe and held in placeby the plate, an expansible fluid in the'Ihollowthrust rods and fusible rivets through the lips on the shoe and plate'forfusibly'secur ing theplate to the shoe.

5. In an automatic sprinkler, a valve supf porting and releasing device-consisting of a shoe having undercutedge lips, a plate over the shoe, thrust rods in the shoe .and

held in place by the plate, said plate "being smaller than the shoe, and fusiblemeans between the undercut edge lips ofth'ersho'e ing the plate to the s 0e. n testimony whereofedges/10f late for fusibly secur- 1 I r .100 I have signed my VROBERTIWILKINSON NEWTON.

70 thrust rods and fusible means betweenthe edge of the plate and the'lip on the shoefor 

